


where I belong

by orphan_account



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Gen, Introspection, M/M, Post-Canon, WIP
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22606444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Post-canon. Ike and Soren leave Tellius together, and Soren contemplates his place in the world as the hands of time continue to turn.
Relationships: Ike/Senerio | Soren
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	where I belong

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lucathia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucathia/gifts).



> So... despite my best efforts, this isn't actually finished. Sorry about that. OTL
> 
> Between writer's block, the fic turning out more complex than it needed to be, and the new semester kicking my ass (taking a math heavy major was a MISTAKE), I unfortunately wasn't able to actually finish the fic by the deadline. Yeah I probably should have just defaulted, but I am actually invested in this fic and want to finish it! Just, well, by the time I finished slapping my muse into consciousness I was being bombarded by IRL responsibilities and something had to give. There *is* actually a fair bit more written, but it was unpolished enough that I didn't feel confident posting it.
> 
> Again, I'm really, really sorry. Next week I've got both an exam and a friend coming in from out of town so unfortunately I probably won't be able to sit down and really work on this until late Feb thru early March, but it WILL be finished. Until then, here's a WIP for the time being! Happy Valentine's Day!

"So," was all Soren asked on the day of departure, satchel of basic necessities slung over his shoulder, "where to?"

Ike looked across the horizon, wanderlust gleaming in his eyes. "Haven't really thought about it," he said. "Wherever the wind takes us, I guess."

Soren sighed. He would prefer to have a plan to start out with. If they just wandered away from Tellius completely directionless, they'd just end up dying at sea.

Well. That was fine. Not the dying at sea part, but he didn't mind picking up the slack for Ike from time to time. That was why he stayed by his side, after all. It had been Ike's idea to leave Tellius. Soren wasn't going to question his decision. Really, Ike was his only tie to Tellius--the world, even. Wherever he went, Soren would follow, if Ike would have him.

Ike glanced at him, and the corner of his lip twitched upward. "Hey, what are you smiling about?"

Soren froze. "I--what?"

Ike chuckled warmly. "There's no need to be embarrassed. It's me."

Yes, that was exactly _why_ it was embarrassing. He raised his hand to his cheek, and it was hot to the touch. He exhaled deeply, forcing himself to regain his composure. "At any rate," he said, pointedly not looking Ike in the face, "we'll still need to figure out where we're departing from. Plus, if we're sailing into uncharted waters, we may not find land before our supplies run out. We'll need to set a threshold to turn back long enough before then that we don't starve. Not to mention..."

\---

Shortly after departing, Soren fell horribly seasick. He'd sailed before, but never on a ship this small, and never for this long on the open ocean. It was ironic--he'd been the one to push for such strict rationing of supplies while at sea, and now he was the one retching his lunch straight into the ocean.

Ugh. How wasteful.

"Hey." Ike patted him on the back, and it occurred to Soren--really occurred to him--that they were _alone_ together, and would be for a long time. The thought made him feel... something, which he couldn't quite identify, and the confusion brought on another wave of nausea. "We can turn back, if you want."

His muscles locked up. Turn back? And force Ike to abandon his quest? Or worse--be left behind? No. It wasn't an option.

Without a moment's thought, he shook his head fervently. "No," he whispered. "No."

Ike's concerned gaze didn't waver, but a moment passed, and he nodded.

If it meant staying by Ike's side...

\---

A month later, they discovered land.

In all honesty, as dead set as Ike was on discovering new land, Soren hadn't really expected to find anything. It just seemed statistically improbable, that the two of them alone would stumble upon something that no other explorer or navigator or wayward sailor had ever found. And yet, as hard as it was to believe, here they were.

It definitely wasn't any landmass that appeared on any Tellius maps--the shoreline was all wrong, and the plant life was nothing Soren had ever seen on Tellius. There were no beaches in sight, but a gentle, rocky slope covered in brilliant green plant life, dotted with sweet-smelling red flowers that _had_ to be poisonous. There was no way they could be so captivating, otherwise. It was beautiful, and fascinating, and Soren whipped out his journal and began scribbling down notes of everything he saw. Ike chided him for being bookish as always, and Soren bristled slightly, but relaxed as Ike clapped him affectionately on the shoulder.

And yet, before he could even get started, Ike had gathered up their supplies to continue by foot, and asked, "Well? Are you coming?"

Soren stared after him. Ike's determination hadn't flickered--no, he was only just getting started. But what was it that he was searching for?

And so they kept traveling.

They set up camp when the sun began to set, and lay together beneath the unfamiliar stars. The sea-scented mediterranean breeze chilled Soren's skin, and he pushed the thought of huddling against Ike out of his mind.

He didn't sleep well, but the next morning the pair was awakened by foreign birdsong, and they continued their trek onwards.


End file.
